Israel allows US to deploy Iron Dome batteries in Gulf

By Zein Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israel has allowed the US to install its Iron Dome missile defense system in the Gulf region, Haaretz daily reported on Sunday.

"The United States is expected to soon begin deploying Iron Dome missile interceptor batteries, one of the jewels of Israel's arms manufacturing industry, in its bases in the Gulf states," Haaretz quoted an Israeli official as saying.

The daily said Washington got Israeli approval "to begin deploying the missile defense systems on American military bases in a number of countries, including in the Middle East, Europe and Far East.”

However, it did not name the Gulf state that will host the Israeli defense system.

The development comes after Israel signed controversial US-brokered agreements last fall to establish diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain.

Three weeks ago, Israel handed a second Iron Dome battery to the US under a 2019 agreement between the two countries.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara